My ancestors - O'Rahilly - Contents

Michael Rahilly, of Killarney

O'Rahilly grave, Muckross Abbey, Killarney.
Burial place of Michael Rahilly and his wife.

Michael Rahilly, of Killarney,
born est c.1765, Upper Lisbaby, Co.Kerry,
farmed at Upper Lisbaby,
mar est c.1795 to Hanoria O'Sullivan,
his older children would have been born Upper Lisbaby,
think this was the generation when the O' in the name was dropped ("O'Rahilly" became "Rahilly"), with the continuing Anglicisation of the country,
his descendants would restore the spelling "O'Rahilly" in the early 20th century revival,
all the O'Rahillys/Rahillys were evicted from Lisbaby c.1808,

after eviction he moved to Killarney, "came into Killarney and set up business there" [Julia Sheehan],
his dau Eliza was bapt Killarney 1808, parents listed as of Killarney,
moved to Ballylongford, "he did not remain long in Killarney when he removed to Ballylongford" [Julia Sheehan],
thought to have set up the original shop in Ballylongford, would be c.1809,
however his youngest child was also bapt Killarney 1810, parents listed as of Killarney,

Michael meant to have died 1810, Ballylongford, Co.Kerry [King], age est c.45 yrs,
bur Muckross Abbey, Killarney, with his ancestors,
[Julia Sheehan] said she remembered her father going to his brother Michael's funeral in Killarney - but she was not born until 1818 - did Michael die in the 1820s?,
interestingly, a tree in the possession of Ronan O'Rahilly says Michael died 1832, which would fit with Julia Sheehan, though this might just be confusion with Fr. Dan Sullivan who died 1832,

think Hanoria ran old shop in Ballylongford after Michael's death,
though Mary Jacobson (née Whelan) said she died early too, leaving the children orphaned, "when the mother died her brother Rev. Dan Sullivan took the children to Ballylongford where he was the parish priest", though it seems they were already in Ballylongford,
perhaps Hanoria died when children teenagers, and Fr. Dan was guardian of them, helped them take over the family business,
Hanoria prob. died pre-1832, since Fr. Dan left his property in Ballylongford not to her, but rather to her dau Margaret, when he died 1832,
the business in Ballylongford was said to have been set up (or at least considerably expanded) with this 1832 inheritance,

Hanoria was bur Muckross Abbey with her husband, the last line of the family to have been buried there, "they are buried in Muckross Abbey, Killarney" [Mary Barrett, née Patt],
in c.1870 Thomas Francis Rahilly writes to his brother Richard after a trip to Muckross Abbey, where he "saw again the stone that marks our grand-mother's last resting place. Here is what it says: 'The property of Hanoria Rahilly'",
had issue:

1. Anne Rahilly,
   [King] says died unmarried,
   [Fitzelle, 1986] says Hanoria, married,
   [Hickie family tree] lists a "Nora" as well as an "Anne".

   
   

2. Margaret Rahilly, born 1799,
   would have been born in Upper Lisbaby,
   in 1832 she inherited house and lands in Ballylongford from her uncle Fr. Daniel O'Sullivan,
   it is possible this is where the Rahilly's old business was located, and she ran it with her younger brother Michael Joseph,
   didn't marry,
   listed as "housekeeper" at death, was she housekeeper originally to her uncle Fr.Dan O'Sullivan? but he died 1832,
   was she housekeeper to her brother Michael Joseph's family after he died 1849?,
   see will dated 5 Apr 1875, p.1 and p.2, lists her then living Ballylongford,
   died 2nd Mar 1877, Ballylongford, Co.Kerry, age 78 yrs [GROI],
   bur Lislaughtin Abbey, nr Ballylongford.

   
   

3. Ellen Rahilly, Nelly,
   mar James O'Dowd [of Killarney, poss. Dowd],
   think no children,
   she died 15th Dec 1857.

4. Julia Rahilly,
   mar William Honan [of Killarney],
   poss. Horan [King],
   had issue:
   1. (children) Honan [poss. Horan],
      "her family settled in London".

   
   

5. Mary Rahilly,
   Mary Anna [Hickie family tree],
   listed as "Mary Ann" at son's marriage,
   born est c.1803,
   [Hickie family tree] says born Ballylongford, but more likely born Upper Lisbaby and grew up Ballylongford,
   mar est c.1830 to David Hickie [born 1788] and had issue.

   
   

6. John Rahilly, died unmarried, "died young" [Fitzelle, 1986].
   There is a "John Rahilly" of 102 Main St, Ballylongford, listed in [Griffiths Valuation, 1852], renting it from Joseph Barrett.

7. Patrick Rahilly, died unmarried, "died young" [Fitzelle, 1986].

8. Michael Rahilly,
   died unmarried,
   presumably died as infant, since he has a younger brother called Michael Joseph,
   "died in infancy" [Fitzelle, 1986].

   
   

9. Eliza Rahilly,
   Elizabeth,
   "Alicia" in [King] is wrong,
   Mary Jacobson (née Whelan) said her nickname was "Min",
   bapt 12th May 1808 [Killarney RC par records], NOT 11th, sp Joseph Sheehan, Bridget Sullivan,
   mar c.1830 [searched, not found in Ballylongford RC par records] to Thomas Patt [born 1789] and had issue.

   
   

10. 2 other sons, Rahilly, who died in infancy [Fitzelle, 1986].
    [O'Rahilly family tree] lists 1 other child.

    
    

11. Michael Joseph Rahilly,
    born 1810, after his father's death,
    meant to be born Ballylongford, Co.Kerry,
    but think not since he is bapt Killarney,
    he is Michael Rahilly, bapt 6 Sept 1810 [Killarney RC par records], sponsors illegible, son of Michael Rahilly and Anna Sullivan, of Killarney.

Grave of Margaret Rahilly (died 2nd Mar 1877), Lislaughtin Abbey.
She is bur with Anne O'Donnell, who died 2nd June 1877. Inscription: "In life they were united. In death they are not separated."
Margaret's will 1875 leaves to her niece Marianne "my house in Ballylongford after the death of Miss O'Donnell". (Anne O'Donnell died only months later.)
She might be "Anna O'Donnell" who sp Margaret's niece Anna Patt's bapt in Ballylongford 1833.
Photo courtesy of Richard Humphreys. See full size.
See close-up.
See alternative close-up (this photo also courtesy of Richard Humphreys).
Photos 2006.